When Spells Go Wrong
by Silikat
Summary: Misto's in love, although he can't bring himself to admit it. But when a magic experiment goes wrong, he has to rely on a hyperactive kitten to help him-after all, she's not as stupid as she looks. But how can Etcetera help? R&R? Oneshot


**Author's Note-**Okay, I have a confession. Often, when I have nothing to do, I write little oneshots and post them here. They're often a bit rushed, but they're decent oneshots nonetheless.  
So, here I go again. As always, feel free to review and tell me what you thought-I don't even mind if you hated it! Thank you to all who do review.

**Disclaimer-**If I ever get to own Cats, then, believe me, you will know about it. But I don't =(

* * *

"Misto? What's up? What are you doing?"

Mistoffelees looked out of the pipe that he'd built his den in. Etcetera! She was getting annoying, always hanging around him and asking what he was doing, and, quite frankly, he was just about ready to turn her into a newt. His magic was a delicate thing. Last week he had turned his fur bright orange when she had walked into his den and surprised him. And the week before that she'd made him jump and he'd nearly blasted a passing Mungojerrie's ear off. And the week before _that _she'd...oh, there were too many things to count! Usually he just conjured up a hologram of Tugger, and that was enough to lure her away, but this time she'd walked in on him when he was working on a project that was quite special to him, one he _had _to perfect in two weeks, and it wasn't the simplest piece of magic either. He was at the end of his tether.

Wearily, the magician swivelled to face Etcetera.  
"Cetty, how many times have I told you not to walk in while I'm working on something? Remember what happened to me, and what happened to Jenny's mice, and what-"  
But she wasn't listening.  
"What were you doing, Misto?" She gasped. "Was that what I think it was? Yes! It was, wasn't it? Just wait till I tell all the others! They'll be _so _excited! They'll _mmf mmf mmm!!_"

Mistoffelees removed the paw he had clamped around the hyperactive kitten's mouth. "Shush! Do you need to tell the whole Junkyard?"  
Etcetera nodded. "And I will! Unless..." She tailed off, a mischievous grin on her face. _Uh oh. _Misto thought. _This is not going to be good._  
"Unless...?" he prompted, not sure he was going to like what Etcetera said next.  
"Unless you show me what you were doing!"  
Misto sighed. "Do you _swear _you won't tell anyone?" He wasn't going to take any chances.  
"Yeah, course."  
"Cetty!"  
"Okay, okay. I swear." she said solemnly. She looked so cute with her arms crossed and pouting that Mistoffelees couldn't help laughing.  
"Come on then. Look." He muttered a few words under his breath, and Etcetera gasped as a brilliant white light began to fill the pipe. But it was what was in the light that amazed her the most.

It was Victoria. Or rather, a life sized image of her, dancing her solo at the start of the Jellicle Ball, every movement perfect. She seemed to emit a ghostly sound, a silent echo of the music she was dancing to. She turned, and the image faded, to another-Victoria at the Mating Dance. But it wasn't Plato who came to dance with her. It was Mistoffelees himself.

The two cats danced, seemingly unaware of anyone around them. They were too wrapped up in each other to care about anything else. As she watched. Etcetera realised that was intentional. After all, the more she thought about it, the more it was obvious. Mistoffelees was in love with Victoria! That would explain why he had been moping in his den ever since the Ball. Seeing Plato with Victoria must have broken his heart.

The picture wobbled, then faded, and Cetty turned to see Mistoffelees kneeling on the ground, sweat pouring down his face. Random blue sparks were coming off his fur, which had strange effects on the air around the magician. Cetty could have sworn it was an odd shade of green.

"Help...me..." he whispered through cracked lips.  
"Misto? What do you want me to do?" She was starting to panic.  
"Get...help. Cori should know...find Cori...got to find Cori..." Misto was struggling to his paws, wobbling like a newborn kitten.

"Misto, you're delirious. Stay here. I'll find Jenny or someone, they can help you."  
"No!" Mistoffelees' eyes widened. "Got to be Cori...I'll go...I'm okay..."  
With that, he collapsed into a heap on the floor, prompting a hysterical Etcetera to run out of his den as fast as she could, to find the only cat who could help, apparently. Coricopat.

* * *

The psychic twins, known as 'those freaks' to most in the Junkyard, were relaxing by the tyre, slightly away from the rest of the Jellicles. At a glance, it looked like they were just lying around and not doing much, but anyone who vaguely knew them knew by the small smiles or frowns that the siblings were communicating telepathically.

At least, they _were_. Etcetera barging through the middle of the Yard screaming at the top of her voice is going to upset any conversation, psychic or not.

"Coricopat!" she yelled as she got closer. He had to come and help Misto. He _had _to!

As soon as she was within earshot, the young queen told Coricopat what had happened, gushing out all of her problems with a huge sob.  
"Misto's sick and he said you were the only one who could help him but he collapsed and I had to go but I don't even know what's wrong with him and I was so scared and you have to come and see and help and I don't know what to _do_!" The kitten stopped, catching her breath.

The psychic looked at Etcetera for a long time before opening his mouth. "Okay, tell me all of that again. _Slowly_."

* * *

Mistoffelees was still on the floor when the trio returned. The twins came in in front of Etcetera, who was so exhausted she felt she was going to pass out like Misto.

"Right, sis. From how it sounds, he was using too much magic and he drained himself. Use number twenty three."  
"Okay." Tantomile seemed to understand this.  
"What? What are you doing?" Cetty panted.  
But the twins were already moving. They knelt down either side of the magician, eyes closed. They started to chant together, with one voice, in a language Cetty didn't understand. A cold wind blew through the pipe, and she found herself shivering. The chanting sped up, and her eyes widened. Mistoffelees was glowing! The air around him shimmered a ghostly blue, and his eyes were shining and sparkling like gemstones. Finally, she understood what was going on. The twins were giving Misto back the magic he had used. They were rejuvenating him, bringing him back.

This was already too weird for her to take in, but it was about to get weirder, as the magic cats began to levitate, slowly at first, until they were flying in the air above her head. She just stared at them for what seemed like a year, before backing outside, terrified.

Then, all too quickly, the spell was broken, and Cori and Tanto emerged, blinking, into the light.  
"He should be okay." Cori told her. "Just don't disturb him."  
Etcetera nodded, not even trusting herself to speak.  
The psychic turned to leave, but seemed to remember something and looked back at her, smiling slightly.  
"However...there is one thing that may help him."  
"What?"  
"I think you know, Etcetera. After all, he was showing you when he collapsed."  
And with a wink, he was gone.

_You what? _Cetty thought. _All he was showing me was that Victoria thing, but I don't see how..._  
_Of course! That's it!_  
Because, after all, if there was one thing Cetty could do, it was gossip.

* * *

"Vicki! Vicki!"

Victoria blinked sleepily. Who was that? She was just trying to have a short catnap, why wouldn't everyone leave her alone for a change?  
She looked up, and saw the silhouette of a kitten standing over that.  
"Huh?"  
"Vicki! Wake up!"  
"What do you want, Cetty? I'm trying to sleep here."  
"Vicki, I know you've got a tomfriend and all, and he really really really didn't want me to tell you, but you really need to know this and-"  
"Spit it out, Cetty!"  
"Misto loves you."  
The white queen gasped. Mistoffelees? And her? Sure, he was kind of cute, but not in _that _way. She thought they were just friends. She thought he fancied Jemima. She didn't know what she thought any more.  
But Mistoffelees? He was different to all the other toms. Quieter. Shyer. Does that mean she doesn't like him? _No_, she thought, _it_ _means I like him more. But not like that, never like that! What would Plato think? He wouldn't even_ think _of cheating on me._ Did that make her a bad cat? _No, of course not!_  
Eventually, she managed to voice her disbelief.

"Misto? As in the sparkly little black tom who turned himself orange? _Misto?!?_"  
"Yep. And he needs you, Vicki. Come with me!"  
"Wait-Misto? Needs me? _Me_? Why?"  
"Come _on_!"

* * *

With a flutter of his eyelids, the Magical Mister Mistoffelees woke up. He didn't know he had woken up at first, for the very queen he had been dreaming about was standing over him, smiling sweetly at him.  
"Victoria?"  
"Hello, sleepyhead."  
"What are you doing here? Oh no. Cetty didn't...did she?"  
Victoria was the picture of kittenish innocence. "Cetty didn't do what, Misto?"  
"Oh, er...nothing, I guess. What _are _you doing here?"  
"Seeing if you were okay, of course! I was quite worried when I came in and saw you lying there on the floor."  
And suddenly, Misto's day looked a whole lot brighter.

* * *

A few weeks later, Misto and Vicki were officialy togther, after Plato had been seen sneaking out to see a queen who lived on his street. Misto had made a full recovery, and was happier than ever. (The same cannot be said for Plato.) The magic cat had even shown Victoria the spell he made for her-with Cori and Tanto on standby, just in case.

And Cetty? After announcing herself 'Official matchmaker of the Jellicles', she tried to get Tugger to like her. Even more than before. That ended badly, but she's sworn to keep trying.

Yes, all is normal in the Junkyard again.

_Fin_


End file.
